Fitness Fellowship 2024: Week 19 Check-in

[sylvanwitch]

Another week has gone down like the sun in the West. (Forgive the LotR-esque language; I am currently on the second stage of The Conqueror walking challenge, which is Helm's Deep, so virtually every day, something reminds me of the films.)

How was the week that was? Did you have an easy time of keeping to your goals or did life throw some challenges in your way? Please do share as much or as little as you'd like. We're hear to listen. :-)



Weight: 202.4, down .2 from last week.

Exercise: Every day, yes. Intervals, yes. Inclines, yes. Weights, yes. It was a good week for exercise, for sure.

Eating plan: I mostly kept to my intermittent fasting; I don't think I had any popcorn incidents. Even my "splurge" meal was a variety of hot bar veggies and salad bar selections from Whole Foods, which really is a treat because it is hella expensive.

Meditation/breathing: Yes? Yes. I'm pretty sure I did some boxing of the breath and/or internal chanting/mantras. Those together have become my go-to practice when I need a moment out of the bustle of work or need to regulate my pace while walking, for example.

Hydration: I'm still drinking my home-brewed iced ginger root tisane. The latest batch was made with lime juice instead of lemon, for variety's sake, and I'm enjoying it a great deal.

Sleep: I've gotten into a pattern where even on weekends, I wake up maybe a half-hour after my usual workday wake-up. That's disheartening, but it does mean I get to bed at a reasonable hour all week 'round instead of staying up too late on Friday and Saturday nights and regretting it come Monday morning.

The week ahead: Same old, same old.



I'm sending you sweet May vibes, my friends, whatever May means to you.

Comments

[batdina]

When is school over for the year?

I had [top] surgery ten days ago and while recovering the only thing I can do is eat properly. I'll know tomorrow when I can get back to exercise. I'm feeling a lot blob like right now.

They removed seven freaking pounds of tissue from my chest. So even if I haven't been working for it in the traditional sense, I have lost a chunk of weight this week. Even better than that is that when I looked in the mirror when the bandages first came off I saw myself for the first time in decades. It's a pretty neat thing.

Otherwise, I'm out here trying to take care of myself. And remembering to breathe.

[sylvanwitch]

Congratulations on your surgery! That is SO exciting! I'm glad it is done with and that you are healing (and, I hope, healing well) and are so much closer to your outside reflecting who you truly are. This is wonderful, happy news, my friend. *hugs*

Our last day of classes is 3 June. Exam week follows. I think my last responsibility is on 10 June, and that's grading-related. We may or may not have professional development; they haven't announced that yet. I am definitely looking forward to having some time away from this work, which is exhausting lately.

[batdina]

I only spent four years in a HS setting, high powered prep type school in SF. But it was exhausting like nothing else I've ever done. Every time someone says that teachers are lucky they only have to work ten months of the year I want to throw something heavy at their heads.

take good care you.

[oschun]

Last week was a blur. On Saturday, I did 3hrs of intensive revision at school in hourly rotations of over 30 kids in each group, teaching the same content three times. We were expecting maybe 40 to sign up for it but over 100 kids came in. Jeez. I seem to have lost a kilogram in weight - probably from stress and accidental fasting. I can't wait for half-term break, which is the end of next week.

This week has started well. Did an hour hike on Sunday and just got back from pilates. I LOVE pilates. I'm also getting into the habit of fasting until lunchtime. Although I do find that if I haven't eaten enough the day before then I really need to have breakfast the next day. My goal this week is to have a healthy lunch every day.

[sylvanwitch]

Oh, hon, work sounds extremely exhausting for you. I do not have the same situation here, but I am also exhausted, and I've definitely reached the end of this year's frayed and burning rope. Here's me sending you virtual *hugs* for a quick and satisfying end to the pre-break insanity!

Also, YAY for hiking and pilates and, ESPECIALLY, a BIG YAY for loving pilates. That is SO good! Also, booooo for forgetting to eat, but YAY for deliberate fasting. :-)

hanging in there

[oldtoadwoman]

I feel like such a broken record. Every week it's excuses and "it could have been worse". The last two weeks have been pretty flat. Lose a pound, gain a pound, lose two pounds, gain two pounds. I have not been keeping up with the exercise "routine" this month at all, though I have been walking a bit. Food is mostly okay until it suddenly isn't. (I'm so good at rationalizing bad choices.)

Re: hanging in there

[sylvanwitch]

I'm not sure if there is a way I can offer encouragement. I know that you know what your cycles are in terms of motivation and willpower, and I don't want to come off like someone who knows better/more/whatever than you. I will say that I believe you can re-introduce some healthier exercise choices into your week, even if that's just going to the gym or swimming or taking a walk once a week (and then maybe adding a second day, etc.).

If there is anything I can do to help, please let me know. I don't like to presume.

Re: hanging in there

[oldtoadwoman]

Okay, I have dragged my butt to the gym just now and done a handful of repetitions on four different weight machines.

I don't know how anyone else can help me because my InnerBrat is pretty stubborn. Short of nagging me constantly ("hey, have you been to the gym yesterday or today?" "What's the farthest you've walked this week?") which should not be someone else's responsibility, I don't know how to stick to any of my goals because I'm so good at making excuses and putting things off till "tomorrow" which can somehow (in the case of the gym) turn into an entire month.

Re: hanging in there

[sylvanwitch]

Go, you, for getting to the gym and doing some strength training! That's fantastic! Maybe you can challenge yourself to a streak? Not every day or X days in a row but just..."Bet you can't do 2 days a week on the machines" or "Bet you can't walk 2 miles" or whatever? I tend to be self-sabotaging but also self-competitive, but maybe that isn't a thing that works for you?

Whatever the case, I hope you gather the motivation to keep exercising.

Re: hanging in there

[oldtoadwoman]

I'm like ... anti-competitive ... as soon as something is presented as a challenge, my brain goes "Too hard! Don't wanna!" I do this catastrophizing thing where I look at the goal of doing something every single day or even improving and doing more and I go, "But that's impossible and I'm going to fail and it's too much work just to fail so why even bother in the first place."

Anyway, dragged myself to the gym yesterday. Did very little. And now my arms are really sore today so I'm telling myself that means I did something.

Re: hanging in there

[sylvanwitch]

Muscle soreness DOES mean you did something, so there's that! I understand what you're saying about catastrophizing. I don't have that problem with fitness stuff, but I definitely have it with interpersonal stuff sometimes, and it's a miserable brain thing. I'm glad you got the gym, even if only for a little while.

Also, is that Gianmarco Soresi in your icon?

Re: hanging in there

[oldtoadwoman]

Jason Mantzoukis (this icon is from The Good Place, the first one is from Brooklyn Nine Nine)

[luzula]

I missed a week on account of my computer dying. I'll just give a general sort of update: I'm at the family summer place right now, which tends to lead to less running and working out. But I'm keeping up the PT for my shoulder, and in general is a wonderful place to be, which is surely good for me on other levels. Plus I borked my ankle somehow, so I should probably rest it for a few days anyway. There's also no scale here, so I expect to come back having gained a little weight...ah well, I've been eating very good food.

[sylvanwitch]

Honestly, that sounds like *heaven* (minus the borked ankle--sorry about that!) and I'm glad you aren't upset about potentially gaining weight from eating such good food. You are generally excellent at balancing the various variables of life, and I think you have just the healthiest attitude about taking this leisure time for yourself. YAY for breaks and enjoyment and good food and gentle rest!

[luzula]

Well, I also have lots of student essays to give feedback on! So it's not just rest. But I've also harvested spring food: nettles that I made first soup of, and then pie. And then I made rhubarb cordial.

[sylvanwitch]

Oh, well, I suppose the grading does somewhat balance out the peacefulness and rest. *grins*

I'm sharing teacher solidarity with you on this. Many a vacation at the lake cottage was accompanied by student essays to grade.